Attachement for sawmill edgers



Uct. 9, 1928.

L R. FOREMAN ATTACHMENT Fon sAw MILL EDGERS Griginal Filed July 18, 1913 3 Sheets-Sheet l Oct` 9, 1928. 1,686,966

L. R. FOREMAN ATTACHMENT FOR SAW MILL EDGERS Original Filed July 18, 1915 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 L. R. FOREMAN ATTACHMENT FOR SAW KILL EDGERS Original Filed July 18, 1913 3 Sheets-Sheet, 3

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Unirse STATES.

LELUEL R. FOREMAN, OF ELIZABETH CITY, NORTH CAROLINA.

ATTACHMENT ron sAWMILr. Encinas.

Application filed LJuly 18, 1913, SerialNo; 779,725. Renewed February 23, V19x24.

This invention relates toimprovements in wood-sawing machinery, and is especially concerned with saw mill edgers.

In the use of edgers in saw mills. it has been extremely di'liicult to determine.A the proper line of cut of the saws in the edging operation, the positioning of the boards with respect to the saws being effected by the operator sighting with his eye. No positive means, however, for indicating the exact line the saws will follow as the board is fed to the saws is employed.. The position ofthe saws, therefore, has been determined through guesswork, resulting, in many instances, in

not obtaining the full amount of available.

lumber which it is possible to obtain from a board, and also in failure to trim off the On the-one hand, actual waste in edging the boards has occurred, while, on the other hand, the `irregular edges; due to failure to trim off the bark, mercial value of the lumber.

It is, therefore, the main and primary 'object of the present invention to provide an attachment designed forV application to an ed ger, and through the medium of which, when the board has been placed upon the feed table of the machine, the sawyer will be enabled to positively position the board and the saws so that the exact line of cut will be indicated before the sawing operation .is started, thus insuring the trimming o; the board in such manner as to obtain 'all the available lumber therein, and precluding the boards emerging from the saws with ragged edges due to the presence of the untrimme d' bark thereon.

A further object of the present invention is the provision, in an attachment of the character recited, of simple and efficient means for determining the line of cut not only when the edger is operating upon boards the edges of which are substantially l. but also when the boards are i n form, the invention contemplating such a.. organization of elements as to ins. e the saws following the tapering contour of the boards alongthe line of cut indicated by the attachment before the edging commences.

Gther objects will a@Dear as the nature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel construction, combination and arrangehave impaired the com-` ment of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

It will be understood that the term saw mill edger as used in the specification and claims hereof is intended to deiine'an apparatus for trimming the edges of boards, coni- -monly forming a part of the' equipment in a mill for sawing lumber, from logs, but, of course, capable of independent use. In the drawings- Figure 1 vis a side elevation of a saw mill edger equipped withthe` hereindescribed invention, a suiiicient portion only of the edger being illustrated as is necessary to a clearV understanding of the invention.

Figure 2 is a top plan view board being illustrated in outline on the feed table of the edger to illustrate the utility` of the present invention,

- Figure 3 is-an end? elevation of the edger and theattachment, viewing the same aty the feed end.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the hand shafts for controlling movement of the movable gage.

Referring in detail to the accompanying drawings, the numeral designates the frame of a saw mill edger upon which is journaled, in the usual manner, a saw arbor 11, and arovided with the usual presser roll 12. The numeral 13 designates the front or feed tablev of the edger having the usual fuipporting roll 14 journalled at its forward end. The edger also includes in its equipment a sliding rack 15 which meshes with a pinion 16 mounted on a hand shaft 17 provided with an operating wheel 18. the latter being the usual means for rotatingthe hand shaft 17, whereby to shift the sliding rack 15. A fixed saw :e is mounted on arbor 11 near one end and a. movable saw e is spaced therefrom, being 'secured to rotate with the arbor'll by a spline, 70, as shown. A shifter arm 71' carried bythe sliding rack 15 engages by means of a forked end with a circumferential groove in hub 72 and furnishes the means for sliding said movable saw on said arbor.

As before stated, the hereindescribed invention is essentially lan attachment for the ed,b above referred to beingA primarily intended to enablethe sawyer to position the saws with facility in order to properly trim the bark from the edges of the boards. The

thereof, a

attachment includes a fixed or stationary gage 19, which is preferably in the form of aV flexible strand, such as wire or rope, one end of said gage being detachably connected to a depending finger which is mounted upon one of the frame elements of the edger. The other end of the gage 19 is also detachably connected to an attaching brachet 21 carried by a frame element or support 22, which may be a stanchion, placed at a point sufciently in advance of the feed table 13 to permit the introduction of the boards .to the feed table; As stated, the 19 is stationary or fixed, and in positioning the same upon the machine, it is placed in direct alignment with the fixed saw m on the arbor 11. Cooperating with the fixed 19 is a movable gage 23, which is also in the form of a flexible strand, such as wire or rope, the forward end of the movable ygage 23 being detachably connected to a finger- 24C carried by a shiftable rod mounted in the framework of the edger. he shiftable rod 25 is connected at one end to an angle arm 26, the latter being carried by .the sliding rack 15 and movable therewith; consequently, when the rack 15 is shifted by Vmeans Vof the hand shaft 17 and the pinion 16, it is evident that the rod 25 will lil-:ewise be shifted. .thereby moving the finger 24C carried thereby, and imparting` to the rear end of the gage 23 shifting movement in a direction laterally of the feed table 13. The forward end of the gage 23 is also detachably connected to a linger 27 which finger is loosely mounted on a shiftable rod 28, the purpose of this loose mounting being hereinafter fully stated. This rod 28 is slidably mounted in suitable bearings 29, one of which is carried by the framework element or support 22, and the other of which is mounted upon a similar framework element or lsupport 30. An angle arm 31 is connected to the end of the shiftable rod 28 which corresponds to the end of the rod 25 to which the angle arm 23 is connected, thus positioning the arms 26 and 31 at the same side of the edger, and said angle arm 31 slidably mounted in a guide 32 which is carried by the framework element or support 30. Mounted at the end of the rod 28, opposite tothe end to which the angle arm 31 is connected, is a depending attaching arm 33, and connected to said arm 33 is a chain 34 which is wrapped around a winding dru1n35, the other end of said chain being connected to the inner end of the angle arm 31. The drum 35 is carried by the hand shaft 17, which, for the purposes of the present invention, is elongated beyond the length commonly Vemployed in saw mill edgers. Hence, as the hand shaft 17 is rotated, the drum 35 will rotate therewith, and through the chain 34, the angle arm 31, and the attaching arm 33, the shiftable rod 28 will be moved in a direction laterally of the edger, "which movement will correspond with theA movement of the rod 25 induced by the sliding rack 15 and the connections previously described. Such shifting movement of the rods 25 and 28 will, obviously, cause the ends of the gage 23 to move in unison, shiftrate pieces, the inner ends of which shouldy be connected to the drum 35.

1t has been stated that the present invention also contemplates simple and efficient means for determining the line of cut when the edger is operating. upon tapering` boards, and to this end the structural elements are so organized that the linger 27, to which the forward end of the gage 23 is connected, may be moved laterally independently `of the finger 2&1, whereby to incline the guide 23 1n relation of the fixed gage 19, andv thus follow the tapered contourof the boards to be edged. 1t is for this reason that the finger 27 is loosely or slidably mounted upon the shiftable rod 28, as hereinbefore recited, and to effect the independent movement of the finger 27, to which reference has been made, a tubular shaft 36 surrounds the elongated end of the shaft 17, the tubulary shaft 36 being provided with an operating wheel 37 adjacent to the operating wheel 18.

lvounted at the opposite end of the shaft 36' is a pinion 38 that meshes with a rack bar 539 the ends of which are mounted in suitable guides on the frame elements 22 and 30, the finger 27 being arried by the rack bar 39, and adapted to be moved along the shiftable rod 28 in accordance with the shifting movement of the rack bar 39. That the finger 27 may be locked for movement with the shifting bar 28, displaceable pin 40 is mounted on the operating wheel 37, said pin being adapted to engage any one of a series of openings 4:1 in the rim of the wheel 13 which is next adjacent to the operating wheel 37. Vith the pin 10 thus engaged, the wheels 37 and 18 will rotate together, thereby causing the shafts 17 and 36 to also rotate together in locked relation, and under these conditions there will'be no independent movement of 'the finger 27 on the shiftable rod 28, but both the finger and said rod will move together. lHowever, when the wheel 37 is released from engagement with the wheelv 18, to `be moved independently thereof, the wheel 37 and the pinion 38 will be rotated, causing a shifting movementof the rack bar 39 and the finger 27 will l lo thereby .be independently moved with respect to the shiftable rod 28. Obviously, therefore, the forward-end of the gage 23 Will be moved relatively to the gage 19 While the opposite end of said gage 23 Will remain fixed, and thuswill position the gage 23 at an angle to the gage 19, permitting the gage 23 to conform to thetapered edge ofthe board adjacent to the saine.

The shaft 17 also carries a Worm Wheel-42 adapted to be engaged and to mesh with a Worin 43 which is carried by a transverselyextending shaft 44. The end of said shaft 44, opposite to that onV which the Worm 43 is applied, is mounted in a pivoted bearing 45, Which bearing is suitably connected to a support 46 for pivotal movement thereon, and splined to the shaft 44, so as to be slidable on said shaft, is a friction Wheel 47 adapted to engage the face of a friction disk 48 rotatably mounted in the support'46. The frietion disk 48 receives rotary movement, through beveled gears 49 and 50, from a shaft 51, which shaft is suitably vjournaled in relation to the support- 46, and mounted on said shaft 51 is a sprocket gear 52- Which receives rotation by means of a sprocket chain from a sprocket gear 54 carried by the arbor of the presser roll 12. By reason of the construction just described, it Will be evident that as the presser roll 12V rotates under the advancing movement of the board towards the saws of the edger, the shaft 51 will be rotated, thereby imparting rotary movement to the friction disk 48, and When the friction Wheel 47 is engaged With the disk 48 the shaft 44 Will also be rotated. During the engagement of the friction Wheel 47 and disk 48, the Worin 43 Will bev in engagement with the Worm Wheel 42, so that on rotation of the shaft 44V the shaft 17 Will also be` rotated, and-as the Wheels 37 and 18 are locked together throughy the pin 40, the shafts 17 and 36 Will rotate together, which rotation causes the sliding rack 15 to gradually spread the movable saW away from the fixed saW (indicated by the dotted line .e in Figure 2), and enable the same'to follow the tapered edge of the board as the latter advances through the edger. Y

It will be understood, of course, that the feeding action of. the shaft 17, by reason of the locked engagement of the Wheels 37 and 18, is only desirable when tapered boards are being edged. Il-fence, it is only necessary that the Worm 43 and Worm Wheel 42 shall be engaged under these conditions; otherwise, the Worm 43 is urged upwardly and out of engagement with the Worm Wheel 42, the construction employed for this purpose being a link 55 Which has a sleeved connection 56 at its upper end With the shaft 44, the link 55 being also connected at its lower end to a foot treadle 57 liingedly mounted at 58, and having at its underside a spring 59 which forces the treadle 5 7 upwardly Whenpressure is not applied to said treadle. The treadle 57 is actuated by the foot of the sawyer When he desires to robtain the automatic feed of the movable saw, as above recited, at which time he depresses the treadle 57 by the application of vhis foot thereto, and this swings the shaft 44-upon its pivotal bearing 45, and brings the Worm 43 into engagemen with the Worm Wheel 42, as stated.

The extent to Which the movable .saw may be automatically spread or closed with respect to the fixed saiv may be varied in accordance with vthe position that the friction Wheel 47 occupies in relation to the center of the friction. plate 48. The farther that the friction wheel 47 is removed from thecenter of the friction plate 48, the greater will be the speed of the shaft 17, and vice versa when the Wheel 47 isv moved towards the center of the Vdisk 48. Thus, in given lengths of boards, the opening movement'of the savvs for a given space is proportionate to the speed of the shaft 17. Hence, in order to regulate the spreading movementvof the movable saw in relation to the .fixed saw, a graduated segment 60 is employed, said segment being ycarried by an arni 61 extending from the support 46, a shifting lever 62 being pivoted on the arm 61 and engaged with the friction Wheel 47 in such manner as to permit free rotation of said Wheel, but also to enable it to be shifted-along theshaft 44 in accordance Withv the shifting. movement of the lever 62. The graduations of the segment 60 indicate the extent necessary for the lever 62 to be shifted to attain a necessary speed for the shaftf17, and said lever' 62 is provided with thel usual Vspring-controlled pawl for engagement with cooperating ratchet teeth on the segment 60, such as is commonly found in lever constructions.

@In the use of the hereindescribed invention, and particularly with reference to the edging of boards the edges of `which are substantially parallel, it being understood as previously explained that the fixed gage 19 is in direct alineinent with the fixed saw, the positioning of the movable gage 23 will be such that it will be in direct alinement with i to the fixed gage 19, so that thev distance to Which the movable saw is adjusted towards or from the fixed saw will establish a corresponding distance between the movable gages 23 andthe fixed gage 19. In this connectioii, however, it will be observed that inV positioning the gages 19 and 23 with respect to the saws the same are placed so as to he in line with the inner edges of the lierfs made by these saws. Thus the minimum distance between the lines of cut of the two saws is indicated by the gages 19 and 23. With the attachment applied in the manner set forth the gages 19 and 28 are arranged a suliicient distance above the feed table 13 that when a board is placed upon the latter the same may readily fit beneath thesaid guides. lrior to the introduction of the board to the saws, the edge of th board which is adjacent the ined gage i moved beneath the gage 19 so that said gag will be just within the inner margin of' thi bark as indicated by dotted lines in F' vure 2, rlherefore, as the board is fed forward to the fixed saw `this fixed saw penetrates the bark and cuts its thickness from the bark just outside of the wood and along the outer marginvof the wood. llilhen so positioning the board, the operating wheel 18 is operated so that throughthe medium of the shaft 1?, and the shiftable rods 25 and 28, through the operating connections described, the movable gage 23 will be positioned over the other edge of the board, and. just within the bark at the margin thereof. lnasmuch as the movable gage 23 shifts simultaneously with the movable saw, it is apparent at once to the sawyer that the line of cut of the movable saw will follow that portion of the board'which is just beneath saidV movable gage. In the cutting of the movable saw,

- like the cutting of the fixed saw, the same penetrates; the bark at the point immediately adjacent to the outer margin of the wood, and hence the maximum amount of lumber which is available-in any board will be ohtained. Regardless of the positioning of the movable saw in relation to the fixed saw, the movable gageQE will always follow the same, and this movable gage is, therefore, adjusted inv lateral relation to the fixed gage 19 to precisely the same extent that the movable saw is positioned with respect to the fixed saw, and as the distance between the lined and movable gages 19 and 23 is the minimum width of cut, the operator is enabled to determine in a positive manner the maximum amount of lumber' which can be talren from the respective boards as they are placed upon the feed ta le of the edger.

The operation just described is peculiarly with reference to the edging of boards having substantially parallel edges, but when it is desired to employ the attachment for use at the time that boards with tapered edges are operated on, the action is somewhat different. Under such conditions, and if the small end of the board is placed nearest the saws of the edger, one edge of the board is positioned substantially parallel with the fixed gage 19. The wheel 18 is thereupon operated to shift the end of the gag-e253 raclr bar 39 will obviously be moved by theV rotation of the pinion 38, thereby shifting the finger 2 so that the end of the gage 23 attached to said finger will be moved to the desired extent across the broad end of the board, and his movement is continued until the line of cut is defined by the movable gage 23.` The gage 23 will, therefore, be above the bark at that edge yof the' board which is oppositeto the edge immediately bneatli the fixed gage 19. rEhe wheel 37 is now locked into engagement with the wheel 18, and trie friction wheel 47 having been positioned at the proper point on the face of the friction disk 48, the sawyer depresses thetreadle 57, thereby engaging the worm i3 with the worm wheel 12. As the board is fed into the edger, the plate a8 is rotated, causing the operation of the shaft-s 17 and 36 'as previously explained, and as the board advances through the edger the movable saw is gradually spread away fromthe fixed saw, following the taper of the board, and thereby trimming off the bark, as previously explained.

ill/Thilo the operation just described has reference to the conditions which prevail when a tapered board is fed with its narrow end introduced first to the saws, it will be understood that the broad end of a tapered board may also be first introduced to the saws, under which condition the adjustment of the parts will be just the reverse of what has been described when the narrow end is first presented; also thatfthe friction wheel. l? will be positioned at the opposite side of the center of the dish Alo toV that which it occupies when operating first upon the narrow end, in order to reverse the direction of movement of the shaft 44 and its connections with the shaft 17, and thus' close the movh able saw towards the fixed saw during the feeding of the board instead ofV spreading itV from the lined saw, as is the case when operating` upon the board with its narrow end first presented to the saws. .The sawV used in suoli an operation is comparatively small and has a heavy swage, which permits, in practice, of a crowding of as much as eight inches in sixteen feet of cut. l

rhat the operator may determine the position of the lever 62 on the graduatedsegmeni- (50, the rod 28 is'also provided with graduations indicating the amount of taper in a. given length.

' comprising a fixed From the foregoing description it willbe apparent that in the use of the hereindescribed attachment a positive means lof. indicating the exact lines of cut of the saws is provided; that as the gages .19 andf23 indicate these exact lines of cut in advance of the actual cutting of the saws, it ispossible -to so position the saws v ith respect to the edges of the boards that there shallbe no waste .of the lumber, and that-.thesezgages also provide means by which it is possible to always insure boards free from irregular edges, due to portions of the barlrremaining thereon, and .thus prevent imparting the commercial value ofthe lumber by reason of such irregular edges. n j

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredlto be secured by Letters Patent, is: Y

E.. An attachment for saw mill edgers,

gage arranged in alignment `with the fixed saw of the ed'ger, a movable gage associated fixed gage, one end of said movable gage being arranged in alignment with the movable saw of the edger and4 adj ustable in relation to the fixed gage simultaneously with the adjustmentv of the movable saw in relation to the fixedsaw, and means for effecting adjustment of the other end of the movable gage independently of the adjustment of the firstmentioned end thereof, whereby to incline the movable gage in angular relation to the fixed gage.

2. An attachment for saw mill edgers,

comprising a fixed gage arranged in align-` able gage in angular relation to the fixed',

GaOe. c An attachment for saw mill edgers, comprising a fixed gage arranged in alignment with the fixed saw of the edger, a mov,- able gage one end of which is arranged in alignment with the movable saw of the edger and adjustable relatively to the fixed gage simultaneously with the adjustment of the movable saw in relation to the fixed saw, means for effecting said adjustment of the end of the movable gage, a mounting for the other end of the movable gage capable of adjustment independently of the adjustment of the first-mentioned end, whereby' to incline the movable gage in angular relation to the fixed gage, means for effecting the with the f independent `adjustment of said mounting, and means for locking together the adjusting means for the two `ends of :the movable gage, whereby to effect adjustment ofthe movable gage in preserved parallel relation tothe fixed gage.

4. An attachment forVv saw mill edgers comprisingV a fixed Vgage arranged in alignment `with the fixed saw .of the edger, a movable gage associated withsaid fixed gage, one end of said movablefgage being arranged in alignment with the "movablesaw'of the edger and :adjustable relatively to the Afixed gage simultaneously with the'adjustment of the Vmovable saw in relation tothe fixed saw, an operating shaft, connections betweensaid operating shaft and Vsaid end of the movable gage for adjusting the position of said end by the operation of said shaft,fa mounting for the other end Vof the .movable gageadjust-able independently of the adjustment of the first-mentioned .end of said .movable gage, a second shaft, `and connections be-f tween said second shaft and said mounting. whereby to actuate. the latter whenr said second shaft is operated to effect thev independent adjustment of the mounting for positioning the movable lgage in inclined relation to the fixed gage..

5. An attachment for saw mill edger', comprising a fixed gage arranged in alignment withthefixed saw ofthe edger, a movable gage associated with said fixed gage, one end of saidymovablefgage being arrangedv inzalignment with the movable saw of the ledger, and adjustable jrelatively lto the' `fixed. vgagey simultaneously ,withl the adjustment .of the movable saw .in relationto the xed saw, an operating shaft,

connections between said operatingv shaft,

and said end of the-movable gage for adjusting theposition `of said endby the-.operation of said shaft, a mounting for the otherend of the movablegage adjustable independently ofthe adjustment of the firstmentioned end of saidmovable gage, a second shaft, connections `between saidsecond shaft and said mounting, -l whereby to actuate 'the latterlwhen said secondshaft is operated to effect the independent adjustment of the mounting for positioning. the movable gage in inclined relation to the fixed gage, and means rfor locking said shafts together, whereby to adjust both ends of the movable gage in unison, and thereby permit adjustment of the movable gage relatively to thev xed gage in preserved parallel relation.

'6. The combination with a saw mill edger including fixed and movable saws, an operating shaft, and connections between said operating shaft, and the movable saw of .the edger, whereby said shaft is adapted to adjust the movable saw with respect to the fixed saw, of means for automatically actuating said shaft for operating the movable IUD llo

saw with respect to the fixed 'saw during the advancing movement of a board through .the edger, and manually-operated means for controlling the automatic .feeding of the movable saw. j A

7. The combination with a saw mill edger including lixedand movable saws, an operating shaft, and connections between said operatingV shaft and the movable saw of the edger, whereby said shaft is adapted to adjust the movable saw with respect to the fixed saw, of driving connections interposed between one of the rotating shafts of the edger and said operating shaft for automatically operating the movable saw with respect tothe fixed saw during the advance of Va board through the edger, and a variable-speedv controlling device included in said d riving connections. Y w 8. The combination with a saw mill edger including fixed and movable saws, an operatingzshaft, and connections between said operating shaft and the movable saw of the edger, whereby said shaft is adapted to adjust the movable saw with respect to the fixed saw, of a pair of gages associated with the edgei, one of said vgages being tired and arranged in alignment with thefixed saw, one end of the other gage being arranged in alignment with the movable sawand adjustable simultaneouslyV therewith, a mounting for the other end of the movable gage and independently adjustable with respect to the first-mentioned end of saidgage, a tubular shaft surrounding the operating shaft of the edger, connections between said tubular shaft and saidvmounting for effecting adjustment of the mounting, whereby to position the movable gage in inclined relation 'to the fixed gage, and means for automatically operating the movable saw in relation to the fixed saw during the advancing movement of a board through the edger.

9. rEhe combination with a saw mill edger including fixed andv movable saws, an operating shaft, and connections between said operating shaft and the movable saw of the edger, whereby said shaft is adapted to adjust the movable saw with respect to Lessons the fixed saw, apair of gages associated'v with the edger, one oli said gages being fixed and arranged'in alionmentwith the fiftedsaw,

respect to the fixed saw during the advanc-r ing movement of the board through the edger.

l0. The combination with av saw mill edger including fixed and movable saws, an operating shaft, and connections between said operating shaft and the movable saw ofthe edger, whereby said shaft is adapted to adjust the movable saw with respect to the fixed saw, of a pair of gages associated with. the edger, one of said gagesfbeiiig fired and arranged in alignment with the fired saw, one end of the other gage beingv in alignment with the movable saw and adjust able simultaneously therewith when the movable saw is adjusted in relation to the fixed saw, a mounting for the other end of the movable gage, said mounting being adjustable independently of the lirst-iiientioned end of the movable gage, a tubular shaft surrounding said operating shaft, connections between said'tubular shaft and said mounting for adjusting the latter, releasable means for locking the operating and tubular shafts together, driving `connections for automatically 'operating the movable saw with respect to the lined saw during the advancing movement of the board'throngh 'theV edger, and a variable-speed controlling device included m said driving connections.

In testimonT whereofl afiiii mi' signature.

L. R. FOREMAN. 

